Stir-Fried Shrimp With Eggs and Chinese Chives

This stir-fry of eggs with shrimp and Chinese chives is a popular dish for Cantonese home cooks. [Photographs: Shao Z.]

This quick-to-cook stir-fry of eggs with shrimp, Chinese chives, garlic, and ginger is popular among Cantonese home cooks for both its ease and wonderful flavor. It can be made with or without the shrimp, or with sliced roast pork in place of the shrimp.

Why this recipe works:

Soaking the shrimp in a baking-soda solution prevents them from becoming soft and mealy by altering their texture so that they are juicy, with a crunchy pop when you bite into them.

Adding the minced garlic and ginger after the shrimp have cooked for a minute guarantees they won't scorch in the wok.

Stir-Fried Shrimp With Eggs and Chinese Chives

About This Recipe

Yield:

Serves 2

Active time:

10 minutes

Total time:

40 minutes

Special equipment:

wok

Ingredients

1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable or peanut oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper, divided

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon milk

2 ounces Chinese chives, cut into 1-inch lengths (about 1 cup)

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

Procedures

1

In a medium bowl, cover shrimp with cold water and stir in baking soda. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 eggs with the milk, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

4

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add shrimp and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add Chinese chives, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry until chives begin to wilt and shrimp are just cooked, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a plate.

5

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add eggs, lower heat to medium, and cook without stirring until the bottom layer of egg has set, about 30 seconds. Using a spatula, scrape eggs from sides in towards middle of wok. Continue to cook, scraping eggs from sides in towards the middle, until some large fluffy curds have formed and eggs are about halfway cooked. Add shrimp and chives to eggs and gently stir until eggs are just slightly runny. Transfer to serving plate and serve immediately.